01/05/2016
There is something I need to get off my chest before we go on: I don’t really get the fascination many have for wearing clothes with various camouflage patterns. I don’t think they look nice, and they certainly don’t have any utility value (for starters most are wearing either woodlands or desert camo, not the appropriate urban patterns, so are…
03/04/2016
Honest, Guv, I wasn’t looking for trouble. Trouble in the way of another duffle-coat, that is. And certainly not another blue one. It was just that it started ticking all my boxes, saying all the right things. And it was just so very, very blue. And it can not be ignored. The royal blue wool is so vibrant it makes…
28/03/2016
Whilst giving my winter boots a little attention before retiring them after another season of use, it struck me that maybe it would be interesting to hear how a few of the things I use have worked out long-term. A review will almost always be based on first impressions and a limited amount of use, so just like other aspects…
27/03/2016
Drawing their usual inspiration from militaria found in the IWM collection, this season Realm & Empire are all about the LRDG, or the Long Range Desert Group to give it it’s full name. This was a small group of allied soldiers that operated behind enemy lines in the desert of North Africa during the WW2. I’ll give you a tip…
26/03/2016
There is something to be said for starting out with the intention of making the best it can possibly be. And not in a bragging or loud way, but just getting down to it, working through a design, finding the best components and then assembling it as well as can be done. Really, it’s not an impossibly difficult task to set about…
22/03/2016
The Vibram Christy soles enjoyed a major resurgence in popularity in recent years, as the casual option for a pair of brogues, or as the hipster de jour sole on a pair of classic Red Wings. Pretty comfortable to stride around on and they look nice and crisp when new. In this piece I’m looking at a pair of Red…
19/03/2016
I’m at the start of a series of posts about companies that for some reason or other interest me. Either due to unique products, some quirky aspect of their business, or because they have a background and history that is interesting. In the case of NPS Solovair, the interest starts with the company name. The NPS part dates all the…
18/03/2016
Ok, let me just start by saying that I’m a little at a loss when it comes to this book. The provocative title, “F**k Ivy ** and everything else”, confirms my opinion of Mark as an enfant terrible of the menswear world. Which is strangely timely, given how much mention there has been of Ivy around here in recent times. And of…
13/03/2016
There. Quiz closed. Official results to be announced! Firstly though, I’m super chuffed by the sporting spirit shown and the number of entrants that joined in to be tested on their knowledge of WDD lore. 68 of you persevered and answered all 14 arduous questions. A large number of you even got them all correct! The prices to be drawn…
13/03/2016
It’s been a while now since I last got down to some serious sewing. I did the tweed jacket upcycle in the Autumn, but that was only a little hand-stitching. Since then I bought a new sewing machine, and to be honest it’s been sitting there, silent, taunting me, willing me to just get down to it. So, with a…